Soucy goal lifts MMA men past UMF

FARMINGTON, Maine — Bryan Soucy scored an unassisted goal 2:05 into the second overtime period Wednesday, lifting Maine Maritime Academy of Castine to a 2-1 North Atlantic Conference men’s soccer victory over the University of Maine-Farmington.

Chad McDOnnell had staked the Mariners (8-4-2, 6-1-1 NAC) to a 1-0 first-half lead, converting a pass from David Lord. Jesse Perkins made three saves.

Jordan Luks scored on a header off a Jordan Kim corner kick in the second half for the Beavers (2-10-1, 0-4-1 NAC). Derek Reilly posted 12 saves.

Catholic U. 2, UMFK 0

At Washington, D.C., TYler Zimmerman and Ben Fernandez scored first-half goals to lead Catholic University to victory.

Jamie Cleland made eight stops for the University of Maine-Fort Kent (12-2).

Women’s Soccer

Husson 6, UMPI 0

At Bangor, Becca Jones scored a pair of first-half goals en route to a hat trick, powering the Eagles to a victory over the Owls.

Michaela Bicknell provided a goal and an assist for 6-8-1 Husson University, while Whitney Cross and Desir’ee Hamler added a goal each. Courtney Hill and M.J. Boyce chipped in assists while Jess Poulin and Jacklyn MacDonald combined for three saves.

Amanda Larrabee made 13 saves for the University of Maine-Presque Isle (4-9-1).

Unity 3, SMCC 2

At South Portland, McKinley Bell scored her third goal of the game four minutes into overtime, lifting the Rams to a Yankee Small College Conference quarterfinal victory over the Seawolves.

Bell scored 3:41 into the first half for Unity and added the go-ahead goal at the 11:12 mark after Michaela Desjardins scored for Southern Maine Community College. The Seawolves’ Zyrah Giustra then tied the game 2-2 only 11:51 into the half.

Football

NCAA playoff committee named

The 13-member College Football Playoff selection committee that was officially announced Wednesday in Irving, Texas, blends a mix of past players, coaches, media and a former Cabinet official.

The committee, chaired by Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long, will begin its work next fall when the new playoff system takes effect.

The members include Wisconsin athletic director and former coach Barry Alvarez, former Nebraska coach and AD Tom Osborne and former coach Tyrone Willingham. Also on the committee are former former NFL quarterbacks Pat Haden, Archie Manning and Oliver Luck.

The lone woman on the panel is former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rounding out the committee are Mike Gould, a former superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy; Tom Jernstedt, a former NCAA executive director; Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich; Mike Tranghese, a former Big East commissioner; and Steve Wieberg, a former USA Today sports reporter.

Committee members will not be paid and term lengths initially will be staggered. Members will serve approximately serve three years.

The committee will meet four times during the season and will release Top 25 rankings every two weeks starting in mid-October. No specifics on the format or criteria that will be used to rank the teams was revealed.

In addition to determining the four playoff qualifiers, the committee also is responsible for ranking and placing at-large teams in the Cotton, Fiesta and Chick-fil-A bowls. And it will be charged with selecting the highest ranked champion from the non-Power Five conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt) to receive an automatic bid to one of the six College Football Playoff bowls.